Loyalty Pays: Which SA Rewards Cards & Loyalty Programmes Save You the Most?
It’s a rocky road ahead for most consumers, as costs mount and we find ourselves worried about having less expendable income. With the lockdown still ongoing and worries about the cost of living, many of us are having to count our pennies very carefully while thinking twice before making that ‘essential’ purchase from our favourite stores and brands. But cutting back doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on a few treats along the way, especially with the right loyalty or rewards card in your back pocket.
According to the South African Loyalty Landscape Report 2019/2020, 72% of economically active South Africans use some form of loyalty programme. On average, South Africans are subscribed to 5.6 loyalty programmes at any one time — women 6.3 on average and men 4.8, which explains why our wallets are bulging with plastic cards a lot of the time.
There are over 100 different loyalty programmes for different brands and services in South Africa but which ones are actually worth signing up for and which are likely to help cut your monthly bills? We compared the top 5 list of loyalty cards and rewards programs in South African to find out which ones are worth your time.
Pick n Pay Smart Shopper
The Smart Shopper card gives you the joy of earning points each time you swipe when paying for groceries. You’ll earn a point for every R2 you spend in-store. As they accumulate over time you can later redeem them directly at the Pick n Pay till — which comes in handy for cutting down on the weekly grocery expenses. You can also use your points for savings with Pick n Pay’s partner brands, which include among others: BP, Netflorist, Ster Kinekor, and Steers.
Legacy Lifestyle
The Legacy Lifestyle rewards programme is free and super simple to use. You earn points, which are known as Lifestyle Rands, by shopping and spending at Legacy Lifestyle Partners. From restaurants to fashion brands, holiday resorts, beauty spas, and more, Legacy Lifestyle allows you to earn and spend Lifestyle Rands at your favourite spots in South Africa and beyond. With over 200 partners across multiple categories, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Partners include CyberCellar, Dis-Chem Pharmacies, Faithful to Nature, Marshall Music, Pick n Pay, and Superbalist.com.
With Legacy Lifestyle Rewards programme, 1 Lifestyle Rand equals 1 South African Rand and each partner offers exciting rewards offerings up to 12% back on your spend. And, if you’re feeling particularly generous then you can even choose to ‘spend’ your Legacy Rands at charities like Kitty & Puppy Haven, Child Trace, or the Captured In Africa Foundation. Managing your points earned is easy with the Legacy Lifestyle Rewards App which allows you to manage your profile, view your balances, link different memberships and more on-the-go.
Click here to register for free now.
Standard Bank UCount
You can earn up to 20% back in UCount points when you shop at the list of partner grocery chains (from Checkers through to Woolworths), fashion and accessory outlets, as well as a host of lifestyle and leisure outlets. You can also earn points by swiping your card at Caltex whenever you fill-up. Once your points start racking up, you can redeem them for subscriptions to Showmax for some cosy binge-watching, or for spends at a bevvy of retail outlets, including Makro, Samsung, The Body Shop and SweepSouth.
If you pay online for your cleaning service with SweepSouth with your credit or cheque card, you can earn 1.5% back in Rewards Points, depending on your UCount Tier level. You can also use your points to book a succession of SweepSouth cleans, as your points mount up. Not only can you bask in an immaculate home for less, but you’re also easily affording cleaners an opportunity to earn a regular wage during these tough financial times.
Dis-Chem Benefit
With the Dis-Chem Benefit loyalty programme, you can earn points through a massive number of in-store product purchases and earn additional points through affiliated partners including Total, Bestmed, Multiply and more. You can then redeem your amassed points to rack up further savings when you shop in-store – literally saving as you spend. In addition to rewarding you, Dis-Chem also donates a percentage to the Dis-Chem Foundation, which is currently focused on feeding schemes for underprivileged residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discovery Vitality
For some serious travel, grocery and wellness savings, check out the Vitality rewards programme as well Vitality Active Rewards, where in order to earn you must feel the burn. A healthy mind and body can certainly result in a healthy bank balance when it comes to the Vitality rewards programme, which actually rewards you with redeemable points for healthy food purchases at either Pick n Pay or Woolworths as well as sports equipment and gear at Total Sports and Sportsmans Warehouse.
Vitality Active Rewards, on the other hand, help you to pile on the savings by physically working off the ‘excess’; by working out and hitting your weekly exercise targets, your record of progress is translated into hefty reductions in your gym fee.